Cold 3-point shooting dooms Jacks

INDIANAPOLIS - For the second time this season, IUPUI made
the plays down the stretch to knock off league-leading South Dakota State in
Summit League women's basketball. Thursday night, the Jaguars rallied from
eight points down in the second half to defeat SDSU, 70-67.

IUPUI pulled to within a game of the Jackrabbits in the loss
column, improving to 8-3 in The Summit League and 15-9 overall. SDSU dropped to
19-7 overall and 11-2 in league play.

The game was physical throughout as the two squads combined for
53 fouls. SDSU used the free throw line to its advantage in the first half,
erasing a 22-13 deficit late in the stanza with 9-0 run in which the
Jackrabbits scored seven points at the stripe. Four different SDSU players
scored in the spurt before Mariah Clarin gave the Jackrabbits a 30-28 halftime
lead with a basket in the final minute of the opening half.

SDSU built its advantage to eight points four-plus minutes
into the second half and maintained that cushion with 12:30 to play after
baskets by Megan Waytashek and Mariah Clarin.

IUPUI closed to within a basket halfway through the second
half and regained the lead at 51-49 on a three-pointer by Katie Comello. The
lead would change hands eight more times before the Jaguars prevailed.

After sitting most of the first half with two early fouls,
Comello connected on three more three-pointers down the stretch, the last of
which game IUPUI a momentary 64-61 lead.

However, the Jaguars grabbed the lead for good on a basket
by DeAirra Goss on their next trip down the floor and turned a steal into a
layup on the other end to go up 68-65 with 1:46 to play.

Gabby Boever pulled the Jackrabbits to within 68-67 with 42
seconds remaining, but her game-tying free throw attempt rimmed off and the
Jaguars again converted on their end of the floor with a basket by Kerah Nelson
with 17 seconds to play.

After a timeout, the Jackrabbits worked the ball around the
perimeter, but Waytashek's attempt at a game-tying three-pointer was off the
mark.

Cold three-point shooting again plagued the Jackrabbits, who
made only 1-of-17 attempts from long range. Overall, SDSU was 21-of-47 from the
field, 44.7 percent, and 24-of-37 at the free throw line for 64.9 percent.

IUPUI was led by Goss with 16 points and six rebounds, while
Comello added 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from three-point range. Nelson
finished the night with 11 points and six rebounds.

The Jaguars ended the night 24-of-60 from the field, 40
percent, including 5-for-20 from long range. At the line, IUPUI converted
17-of-31 attempts, 54.8 percent.

Rebounding was even at 37. Hannah Strop tallied a game-high
seven boards for the Jackrabbits.

SDSU closes out its weekend road trip Saturday afternoon at
Western Illinois. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. in Macomb, Ill.

NOTES: SDSU leads the all-time series, 12-2 ... the
Jackrabbits lost for the first time this season when leading at halftime (12-1)
... SDSU lost for only the second time this season when shooting better than 40
percent from the field ... the Jackrabbits dropped to 53-6 in February games
during the Division I era ... SDSU committed 22 turnovers, while IUPUI turned the
ball over 17 times ... the Jackrabbits have gone a combined 4-for-40 from
three-point range in the two meetings with IUPUI this season ... Waytashek scored
in double figures for the 20th time this season .... Eide ended the
night with 991 career points ... attendance was 303 at The Jungle